This invention relates to a swash plate type compressor.
Use is widely made of a swash plate type compressor comprising a cylinder block having a cylinder bore, a piston slidably received within the cylinder bore, a drive shaft, a swash plate mounted to the drive shaft in an inclined state, and a shoe interposed between the swash plate and the piston. The swash plate is rotated in synchronism with the rotation of the drive shaft. The rotation of the swash plate is converted via the shoe into a reciprocating motion of the piston in an extending direction of the drive shaft so that a fluid within the cylinder bore is compressed.
In a conventional swash plate type compressor, the swash plate is formed by a material which is excellent in lubricity, for example, a bronze plate, an aluminum alloy plate coated with a solid lubricant, an aluminum alloy plate having a tinned surface, an iron plate with a sprayed bronze coating, an iron plate coated with a solid lubricant, in order to improve the lubricity between the swash plate and the shoe which are brought into sliding contact.
In case where the swash plate is formed by the bronze plate, the aluminum alloy plate coated with a solid lubricant, or the aluminum alloy plate having a tinned surface, the swash plate must have an increased thickness in order to assure a sufficient strength. On the other hand, in case where the swash plate is formed by the iron plate with a sprayed bronze coating or the iron plate coated with a solid lubricant, a lubricant layer formed on the surface of the swash plate is readily detached.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a swash plate type compressor comprising a swash plate which assures a sufficient strength without increasing the thickness and which suppresses the detachment of a lubricant layer formed on its surface.
Other objects of the present invention will become clear as the description proceeds.
According to the present invention, there is provided a swash plate type compressor which comprises a cylinder block having a cylinder bore, a piston slidably inserted in the cylinder bore, and a drive shaft, a swash plate rotated by the drive shaft. The swash plate has a first and a second axial end opposite to each other and comprises a base plate and an attached plate attached integral with the base plate to form the first axial end. The attached plate is made of bronze-based metal. The swash plate type compressor further comprises a shoe held by the piston and slidable along the first axial end.